Costly mistakes spoil special day for Buffalo [5:43 AM]D and C reports:
'Throw in some remarkable November weather and a very beatable opponent in the Seattle Seahawks and you had to think that if ever there was a game this band of Bills was destined to win, this was the one. Think again.'

Retiring No. 12 tops all honors [5:42 AM]D and C reports:
'It was the surprise retirement of his jersey, the first time in the 41-year history of the franchise a number was officially taken out of circulation. It wasn't Simpson or Shaw or Sestak that moved owner Ralph Wilson to break club policy. It was Kelly. And fittingly so.'

Speak to us Eric, we will listen [5:41 AM]D and C reports:
'Eric Moulds is finding out that being the highest-paid player in Bills history carries significant responsibility. Lately, Moulds hasn't been very responsible.'

Buffalo Bills report card [5:40 AM]D and C reports:
'Coaching: Had a game plan good enough to win on both offense and defense but turnovers and killer penalties -- the story line of this 1-8 season -- sabotaged any chance of securing the win. B'

Bills fans want wins, not more bobbleheads [5:39 AM]Business First of Buffalo reports:
'The Kelly game has generated bobblehead sales in the few thousands and the other two, honoring Levy and Smerlas, only sales in the mid-hundreds.'

Jim's day not dandy [5:38 AM]Toronto Sun reports:
'"I talked to (Buffalo Bills coach Gregg Williams) a little before the game," Holmgren said. "And (the Bills) are going through some things we had to go through last year as far as salary cap and that kind of stuff. They'll get it going."'

Hawks counter pesky Van Pelt [5:35 AM]Seattle Post Intelligencer reports:
'"We threw the ball effectively today," said Van Pelt, the first quarterback to have a 300-yard passing performance against the Seahawks this season. Van Pelt was able to do what Rich Gannon (twice), Brian Griese, Mark Brunell and Donovan McNabb could not. Of course, Van Pelt wasn't able to beat the Seahawks, either.'

Seahawks victory is kid stuff [5:34 AM]Seattle Post Intelligencer reports:
'With quality NFL receivers such as Price, Eric Moulds and fullback Larry Centers, the Bills should have taken better advantage than they did. But teams are 1-8 for good reasons, and failing to exploit a youngster such as Fuller can be advanced as a reason good as any.'

Seahawks game at a glance [5:33 AM]Seattle Post Intelligencer reports:
'Even though the Seahawks defense gave up 372 yards to the 1-8 Bills, the NFL's second-youngest team, it made crucial red-zone stops to hold Buffalo to three second-half points until a late touchdown drive after the Seahawks had a 23-13 lead.'

Seconds to spare? [5:32 AM]Seattle Post Intelligencer reports:
'The TV cameras caught the Seahawks coach venting his frustration at special teams coach Pete Rodriguez along the Seattle sideline at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The problem? The Seahawks almost allowed the 30-second play clock to expire before getting off the kick that proved to be the difference in their 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills yesterday.'

Hawks special teams buffaloed [5:30 AM]Seattle Times reports:
'Buffalo lined up to punt, Seattle sent Charlie Rogers deep to receive the kick, then the Bills snapped the ball to the up man, reserve running back Sammy Morris. Morris tucked the ball under his arm and ran right, cutting past lunging and diving Seahawks for a 9-yard gain and a first down.'

Mother Nature, Lady Luck line up behind Seahawks [5:28 AM]Seattle Times reports:
'But on the last nice day of the year in Buffalo, the wind brought hope and joy and momentary salvation for the Seattle Seahawks. It was a wind that gusted just hard enough to push Rian Lindell's last field goal over the bar, yet howled strong enough to stop Bills kicker Jake Arians' field-goal try just inches short of the goal post. Two kicks, six points, 14 mph from the southwest. It was the difference in the game.'

Van Pelt has career game [5:28 AM]Seattle Times reports:
'"Rob has had some pretty good games," said Buffalo offensive coordinator Mike Sheppard, who was the quarterback coach in Seattle last year. "When we haven't played well on offense, a lot of times it's been all of us." Perhaps, but Van Pelt led Buffalo to a season-best 316 yards, and he's the only Bills quarterback to throw two touchdowns in a game this season.'

Hawks crafting a winning trend [5:26 AM]Everett Herald reports:
'First, there was a 51-yard field goal by Rian Lindell that gave Seattle a 23-13 lead with 3:12 remaining in the game. It appeared that the 35-second play clock had run out on the Seahawks prior to the kick, sending Holmgren into a sideline tirade as the ball barely cleared the uprights. But after looking around and finding no flags, Holmgren breathed a sigh of relief.'

Hawks' Fauria calls refs' replay ruling a crock [5:25 AM]Everett Herald reports:
'Tight end Christian Fauria appeared to catch a 12-yard pass on third-and-10 during the third quarter. But Fauria's less-than-conventional methods - he kicked the ball with his left foot before snagging it out of the air - caused officials on the field to rule it an incomplete pass.'

November 18, 2001

Bills retire Kelly's No. 12 [4:43 PM]AP reports:
'"This is the greatest thing that could ever have happened in my life, and it took everybody pulling together in this city," Kelly said. "This is one big family. Thank you very much, I love you all."'

Seahawks 23, Bills 20 [4:39 PM]AP reports:
'The Bills (1-8) are off to their worst start in 16 years, and they have lost seven straight at home going back to last season. It's Buffalo's longest home losing streak since dropping eight straight spanning the 1983-84 seasons.'

Seattle 23, Buffalo 20 [4:38 PM]Sportsticker reports:
'With the Seahawks shutting down the run, Van Pelt was forced to throw often in his fourth NFL start. He was 28-of-42 for 316 yards and two TDs but could not prevent the Bills from suffering their fourth consecutive loss.'

Buffalo gearing up to stop run [3:40 PM]Tacoma News Tribune reports:
'The Bills will surely counter by bolstering their defensive front seven with an eighth defender near the line of scrimmage. Williams, in his first season with the Bills, employed such a strategy regularly as defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.'

Game day [3:38 PM]Tacoma News Tribune reports:
'With nine more penalties last week, the Bills have committed 63 on the season, compared to only 37 for the Seahawks.'